67 Hail Hail

Jason Cundy and Jamie O’Hara are renowned for a wind-up or two, but even Cundy couldn’t sit back and listen to O’Hara’s latest claim.

The TalkSport duo were reflecting on Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League final victory to end their 17-year wait for a trophy.

Celtic hero Ange Postecoglou silenced his critics as he delivered on his theory that he always wins trophies in his second season and has been championed by the Bhoys, who sent a classy message to Postecoglou.

A momentous day in Tottenham history, the Europa League is the continent’s second-tier European competition, with the Champions League the golden prize.

That hasn’t stopped Spurs supporters, including O’Hara, claiming that they’re champions of Europe and Cundy firmly put his co-host back in his place.

Jason Cundy tells Jamie O’Hara to ‘show respect’ to Celtic

Filling in for Alan Brazil on his breakfast show, the two discussed Tottenham’s triumph.

O’Hara retaliated after Cundy claimed Arsenal had still had the better season, despite no silverware, saying: “Champions of Europe”.

Cundy then silenced him, referencing Celtic’s 1967 European Cup-winning side, saying: “You won the Europa League, no you’re not. Show respect to Celtic.

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“They can say they’ve been champions of Europe. Chelsea can. Arsenal can’t, Spurs can’t. Man City, Man Utd, Liverpool can. Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, show some respect to those teams. You can’t come on here saying you are champions of Europe.”

Celtic’s trophy haul compared to Tottenham’s is like night and day

People can argue all they want about Scotland having less competition but the fact of the matter is that Celtic have trumped Tottenham when it comes to the number of trophies won.

The Bhoys are one of seven teams around the world to win 100 or more major honours and currently have 120 to their name.

As for Spurs, they only have 18 and may have won more trophies in Europe – but never the big one.

In case you’ve been living under a rock, Ange Postecoglou led Tottenham Hotspur to Europa League glory on Wednesday night.

The former Celtic manager outwitted Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United in Bilbao as Spurs won their first major trophy since 2008.

Of course, many sent their congratulations towards Ange and Tottenham. Celtic did so on social media, as did the SPFL with their brilliant tribute post.

Brendan Rodgers congratulated his Celtic predecessor on Thursday in what was a classy message from the Northern Irishman.

But you can’t exactly use the word ‘classy’ to describe how Celtic legend Scott Brown hilariously responded to Spurs winning the trophy!

In typical Broony fashion, the Ayr United boss was on the wind-up as he replied to Tottenham goalkeeper Fraser Forster’s Instagram post.

Former teammates at Celtic, Forster published a photo of him wearing his winner’s medal and captioned it with: “Another one for the collection 😉😍”.

Brown appeared in the comments section and posted a hilarious seven-word reply that dissed Forster’s resemblance to Home Alone film character Marv Murchins.

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Broony wrote: “Marv from home alone won a medal 🔥”.

Brown and Forster’s Celtic days together

Of course, Brown’s comment will be taken in good jest by Forster given the pair were Celtic teammates across two spells in the 2010s.

Brown signed for Celtic in 2007 and went on to become one of the most decorated Hoops captains in the club’s long and storied history.

Forster first joined the Hoops on a season-long loan from Newcastle United in August 2010, keeping an incredible 24 clean sheets in his first campaign.

The 6’7″ tall stopper rejoined Celtic on loan for the following season before signing permanently in the summer of 2012.

Forster, after a time with Premier League club Southampton, came back to Celtic during 2019/20 for a third loan stint before moving on to Spurs two years later.

Brown and Forster won seven major honours together at Celtic, with the goalkeeper now adding a European title to his personal trophy cabinet.

There will be a lot of Celtic eyes on the Europa League final between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United on Wednesday night.

The simple reason is that Ange Postecoglou will be in the Spurs dugout, looking to end their near two-decade wait for a trophy, and their first European title in over 40 years.

Postecoglou won trophies for fun at Celtic, but that’s because Scotland’s most successful club is used to lifting silverware again and again and again.

But what Postecoglou faces in Bilbao is perhaps one of his biggest tests yet, because of Tottenham’s long-wait for a trophy, and the position they find themselves in on the Premier League stage.

There is a lot of talk around his future, and how he could be booted out if the London club aren’t victorious against an equally abject Manchester United side.

There are even suggestions that the powers that be at Tottenham will part ways with Postecoglou, even if they lift the trophy at the end of it all, but the Celtic hero had a brilliant response to it all.

Ange Postecoglou mentions Celtic as Tottenham prepare for the Europa League final against Manchester United

It would be crazy for Spurs to, win the Europa League, but then still part ways with Postecoglou.

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This isn’t a club used to winning trophies, and it does also get them into the Champions League, but crazier things have happened in football.

Either way, Postecoglou mentioned winning the Treble at Celtic, before heading for the exit door and taking the gig at Spurs, as he told his pre-match press conference.

“No (I haven’t discussed my future with the Tottenham players before the Europa League final) because that wouldn’t be really helpful in what is before us right now,” said Postecoglou.

“I have said to the lads from day one, ‘nothing is guaranteed in life. Nothing is guaranteed in sport. So, you just got to try and make sure you take every opportunity before you. That’s what I have done in my whole career’.

“I have been in this position before, where the big game was the last game I managed. It’s not unusual terrority for me, and I have always navigated that pretty well. For me, nothing is more important than my responsibility to this football club and its fans.

“I qualified for the World Cup. I left. Won the Treble with Celtic and left. Won at Brisbane and left. It’s actually more common than you think.”

The last time Postecoglou faced Manchester United…and then left

It’s slightly eerie that Postecoglou has faced Manchester United before, and then headed for the exit door straight after.

This wasn’t exactly the Europa League final, and he was a much smaller fish back then with less talk around him, but it did happen.

Back in 2000, as the manager of South Melbourne and facing the great Sir Alex Ferguson, who had recently won the Treble, Postecoglou’s side lost 2-0, and then he left.

It’s crazy how things are panning out for Ange Postecoglou since he left Celtic.

On the one hand, the Celtic hero could create history if Tottenham Hotspur win the Europa League – they face Manchester United in the final, on May 21, in Bilbao.

Lift that trophy, and then Spurs will play Champions League football next season. Most importantly, Postecoglou will become the first manager of the London club to win a trophy since 2008.

But that doesn’t tell the whole picture, and this is where everything could come crashing down in a pretty horrible manner for the Treble-winner at Celtic Park.

Everyone in green and white colours is urging Postecoglou on and hoping he will change things around, but some things are irreversible.

And that’s Tottenham’s league form.

Celtic hero Ange Postecoglou suffers 20th Premier League defeat to Crystal Palace

When ‘big Ange’ first joined Celtic, he arrived as an unknown figure, with Rangers as champions, before getting the club back where it belongs, and that’s on top.

Tottenham aren’t used to winning league titles like Celtic; they have two in their history, but they have been used to competing in Europe.

But lose that Europa League final, then it’s the end of the road for Postecoglou at Spurs, and he can’t have any complaints, as their latest defeat dictates.

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Tottenham were beaten 2-0 at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday – their 20th league defeat. They have never lost more games during the Premier League era (starting 1992).

It’s also Spurs’ 24th defeat in all competitions this term – Postecoglou only suffered 18 games during his time at Celtic.

‘Tottenham have lost 20 league games in a single season for the first time ever in the Premier League,’ wrote Squawka.

Postecoglou’s record at Celtic compared to Tottenham

Postecoglou’s name is in Celtic’s legendary books, and that will never be reversed or changed.

It’s not just what he won in Glasgow, but how he won it on the pitch, including how he conducted himself in the media on a weekly basis.

Ally McCoist has had to endure decades of Celtic success as his old club Rangers struggles to keep up with the Parkhead club.

McCoist has found the last few years tough as Celtic overtook Rangers as Scotland’s most successful club this season.

With Brendan Rodgers on the brink of yet another treble and Celtic’s 121st trophy in their history, former World Snooker Champion John Higgins superbly wound up Ally McCoist at the Crucible about the Hoops boss.

John Higgins outs Ally McCoist over Celtic’s Brendan Rodgers Spurs rumour at the Crucible

Higgins was taking part in the World Snooker Championship watch-along with McCoist when he confronted him about a rumour he heard over Celtic boss Rodgers and Spurs.

Higgins asked McCoist on TNT Sports Snooker [1h 38m 35s], “Can I just ask Ally as well that I’ve just seen reports that he’s trying to get Brendan Rodgers to go to Tottenham Hotspur – is there any truth in that rumour?”

Laughing, McCoist replied, “John, I’ll be honest with you mate, I’m trying to get him to go anywhere.

“I don’t care, he can go to Tottenham Hotspur, I just want him south. Is that okay? Just to clarify that in case you thought I was anti-Tottenham – I’m pro-Tottenham. I want him anywhere.”

It was a bit of light-hearted banter but the answer did show that McCoist is desperate for Celtic’s success to end even in joking manner.

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McCoist has been in pain for the last two seasons of Rodgers’ domination of Scottish football as the Celtic boss continues to add silverware to the Parkhead trophy cabinet.

Admitting Celtic will hammer Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final, McCoist said he will be a Dons fan for the upcoming Hampden clash.

McCoist’s deluded comments on the gap between Celtic and Rangers earlier this season where made to look foolish after Philippe Clement was sacked back in February.

Ange Postecoglou continues to fight on at Tottenham Hotspur.

It has been nearly two years since Postecoglou left Celtic for Tottenham, and his ride has been rather interesting in the English capital.

For weeks and weeks, the noises have suggested that Spurs will sack Postecoglou, especially with the team sitting in the bottom half of the Premier League table.

But, in typical Postecoglou style, he is fighting until the very end and showing that winning fight he displayed on so many occasions in Celtic colours.

On Thursday evening, Spurs beat Eintracht Frankfurt to book their ticket into the semi-final of the Europa League by securing a 2-1 win on aggregate.

Tottenham now face an opponent that Postecoglou, for the wrong reasons and going back to his days at Celtic, knows very well.

Ange Postecoglou recalls Celtic nightmare as Tottenham to face Bodo Glimt in Europa League semi-final

Celtic’s progression in the Champions League this season has been a joy to watch, but their play-off exit to Bayern Munich is a far cry from what happened in 2022.

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With Postecoglou in the Celtic Park dugout, the Hoops crashed out of the Europa Conference League playoff phase by losing 5-1 on aggregate to Bodo/Glimt.

It was a nightmare of all nightmares and a pretty big blot on Celtic’s European credentials, at the time, as Postecoglou will now look to put those previous wrongs right in the colours of Tottenham.

“I don’t think it’s surprising,” said Postecoglou on Bodo Glimt’s rise. “I, obviously, have history with Bodo. We played them when I was at Celtic.

“I scouted them pretty extensively for that game. I remember they beat Roma at home, with Jose (as the opposing manager), and Jose speaking about how difficult it was playing there, and I followed them closely.

“You have seen their growth. They are very difficult. Got a good talent ID. Players who have moved on and done really well. Very consistent. Same manager, which always helps.

“Then built a real belief in their club. I think they have earned the right to be in the semi-final. It’s not like they have had an easy ride through it. They are a very, very difficult opponent away from home. Absolutely. You just have to look at their record.

“I certainly won’t underestimate them. I know them really well and I know the challenge we have to overcome them.”

The 11 Celtic players who remain from that Bodo/Glimt nightmare

Going back to the second leg, which was played in Norway, Celtic lost 2-0 and were knocked out, with some interesting names playing that are still on the books today.

On the one hand, given that quite a number of them have been part of this season’s Champions League campaign, it shows their progression.

At the end of the day, it’s not about how you get knocked down, but how you get back up.

Celtic hero Ange Postecoglou could be out of a job before it’s too long.

The under-fire Tottenham Hotspur boss is languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table ahead of his side’s tricky trip across London to take on bitter rivals, Chelsea, on Thursday evening.

Postecoglou won it all at Celtic, including during his success in his homeland of Australia and the J-League in Japan.

But, despite a fire-cracking start at Spurs, including sitting top of the Premier League table after ten matches when he initially joined during the summer of 2023, the tide and mood has changed quite a lot.

Time and time again, it’s not just the results that are being questioned, but Postecoglou’s style of play also.

That was one of the 59-year-old’s biggest success stories at Celtic, yet, in the English Premier League, he is getting verbally battered left, right and centre for it, but now he has been defended for it by an unlikely source.

People want Celtic hero Ange Postecoglou to ‘fail’ at Tottenham

The fact that it is taking a former Rangers player to defend and call out the nonsense aimed at Postecoglou says it all, really.

But Richard Foster claimed that people, from pundits to the media in England, want Postecoglou to ‘fail’ because the Celtic legend ‘essentially came through in Scotland’ to get to where he is now, as he told Go Radio.

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Foster wanted to highlight how Spurs have won ‘nothing for years’, yet there is this ‘really, really strange’ expectation hovering above their heads.

“We spoke about if off-air,” said Foster. “I think, because he has come to Scotland, and he has essentially come through Scotland to get to Tottenham, then I think they want him to fail.

“When you hear some of the pundits on certain stations and social media, they are desperate for him to fail. You have got to remember, he is coming on the back of no success for Spurs. It’s not like they have won loads of things recently. They have won nothing for years.

“Harry Kane, one of their best players to ever play for them, and he never won a thing there. It’s really, really strange what the expectation is on Ange Postecoglou.”

Postecoglou ‘constantly asked the same question’ at Tottenham

One of the reasons why the Celtic Park faithful loved Postecoglou, wasn’t just because he got the club back to winning ways, but the manner in which he did it.

Many would argue that Postecoglou’s style of football is more entertaining than Brendan Rodgers’, and he has had enormous success in Glasgow over two spells.

But, in Tottenham colours, Foster simply can’t understand why, time and time again, Postecoglou is asked about his style of play when he just isn’t going to change who he is.

“I think, because he is direct about what he says, I think he is brilliant,” added Foster.

“Sometimes he gets annoyed, as we all do, but I think he is brilliant. But he is just constantly asked the same questions over and over again.

“How many times is he going to be asked about the way he plays? He isn’t going to change it, and he has been open about that. They are still in Europe. I find it strange. I find it really, really strange.

“We met him on the Pro Licence in London, and he was brilliant. Really open and honest. Very engaging guy. He gave us his game model and the way he wants to work. What he said was brilliant.”